though our hands may be tied
by withneedleandthread
Summary: 'you'll be balance when i waver, i'll be warmth when you are shivering cold' various chloe/buck drabbles
1. here in the dark, it's you and me

it won't be light for quite a while

_and you can see behind these ribs_

_everything i have to give_

_i'm giving_

_so speak to me_

_teach me_

_listen to me now_

_i need you to get back here_

_and help me somehow_

_i'm nothing if we don't start here_

.

Chloe leaned into Buck, "Y'know, I wish I'd gone to prom with you."

Buck laughed a little, "I think your parents and teachers _might_ have taken issue with your date being twenty-eight, Chloe."

She grinned, "Even if he was _the_ Buck Williams?"

He paused, pretending to think about what she said, "That changes everything, you're right. I'm sure your parents and teachers would take no issue with it, then."

"Of course. Any other twenty-old-year-old? No chance. But Buck Williams? Full approval."

The two laughed at that, and then lapsed into silence, Buck putting his arm around Chloe, pulling her close to him.

"Hey," He said suddenly, "Do you think your mom would've liked me?"

She turned her head, studying him, "Quite a serious question, there, Mr. Williams."

"Indeed it is, Mrs. Williams." He replied, pausing for a moment, with his serious tone back, "I don't know, I was just thinking. . .obviously Rayford likes me, but with the age difference and everything. . .I can't help but to wonder what she'd think of me if she met me."

"You will be able to ask her, someday," Chloe pointed out, "But I'm sure she'd love you, and not just because you're _the_ Buck Williams, but because of how amazing you are and how good you are to me. In fact, after I got dumped by that one guy I dated in college – you know, the one who graduated and never talked to me again – my mom told me that she prayed that God would send me a guy who'd be perfect for me. If she was here, I think that she'd say that you were the answer to that prayer."

Buck grinned widely at that, leaning in and kissing his wife, "I love you."

She smiled back at him, "I love you, too."

.

_but you know what i'm up against_

_you know how weak is my defense_

_you know how hard_

_how hard i try_

_oh, can't you see_

_can't you see that i_

_am begging you_

_you fill me up with peace and rest_

_your living joy down in my chest_

_you tell me i am not alone_

_you wanted me just for my own_

_i'm longing for you_


	2. don't you let it go

_this night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
>i'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home<br>i'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
>i was enchanted to meet you<em>

.

Going into the dinner, Chloe had expected spending a few awkward moments listening to her dad give his spiel about Christianity (okay, she really shouldn't call it that, because it would hurt him, and what he said had been anything but a sales pitch) for a while before Hattie got sick of it and left. The only good thing about it would be that she didn't have to pay for dinner, and maybe she would have a chance to get some of those candies she really liked.

But meeting Buck Williams, and hitting it off with him? Not exactly what she expected to happen. She knew who he was, of course, and had always respected him as a journalist, even though she didn't go out of her way to read his stuff. (Not that you really had to go out of your way to read it.) It was just so weird to think, that the famous journalist Buck Williams had spent a good hour or so wandering around talking with (and flirting with) her, of all people. Shouldn't he be talking with presidents and scientists and geniuses? Even talking with her father would make more sense, because he had the experience of being on a plane when the disappearances happened.

But Buck didn't seem to be annoyed by the time that he had spent talking with her.

She really hoped that she'd be able to see him again, to talk with him again, because there was something there, something that could develop into so much more. And she also hoped that she hadn't killed any chance of it by the last thing she said.

Running it over in her head, she groaned. She had gone overboard with that, hadn't she? It probably came across as really desperate, no matter how true it was. Man, he probably thought she was yet another college girl with a huge crush on the hot shot journalist.

.

_this night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
>i'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home<br>i'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
>i was enchanted to meet you, too<em>

_._

Going into it, well, Buck had been a little worried. The dinner Hattie was going to could go badly, after all. What if Hattie and the pilot got into a fight? What was he going to do? And, really, what was he going to do if they made up? He'd be the awkward third wheel to two people he barely knew.

It turned out nothing like that, of course.

Chloe Steele. He had to see her again. He _had_to. She was amazing and smart and funny and willing to stand up for herself and so many other amazing things. Like, there was the fact that she didn't make a big deal out of him being well-known. She didn't treat him like a concept, or show interest in him simply because he was a well-traveled journalist.

Spending time with her felt comfortable. It really shouldn't have, since they had just met, but it was true. What she had said, before she left, about missing him even though they'd just met had rung so true with him. If someone had said that to him before, he would've rolled his eyes at them, and figured that they were just really desperate. But that wasn't the case here, because he felt it, too.

He could probably get her number from the pastor, couldn't he? Except that would just be awkward. And he really was interested in hearing more Rayford's pastor's perspective. Asking for Chloe's number would definitely not leave the best impression.

Hadn't she said she was going to go on a flight her father was flying? He was staring at the screen asking whether or not he was sure he wanted to purchase the ticket before he stopped for a moment to ask himself if he was really thinking this through.

The answer was 'no'.

He bought the plane ticket anyways.


	3. i used to rule the world

_one minute i held the key_

_next the walls were closed on me_

_and i discovered that my castles stand_

_upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand_

Sitting in the safehouse, sometimes Buck can't help but to miss some parts of how his life used to be.

Not that he regrets the life he lives, or the choices that he's made. Of course he doesn't. He's proud of the fact that he became a Christian. He's endlessly thankful for his gorgeous wife and son. And he in no way regrets all that he's done to fight against the GC, or joining the Trib Force. He'd have to be a complete and utter idiot if he did.

But he can't help but to look back at the all of the traveling he did, and miss it. Funny how something that was so routine and had gotten somewhat dull was now one of the few things he missed from the way his life used to be.

It's not just that, of course. There are all the little things that he never thought he'd look back on and wish he'd enjoyed more, like walking outside, buying stuff from the grocery store, and doing stuff outside of the house without worrying about people recognizing you. Sure, he was well-known enough that he'd be recognized every once in a while, so he could kind of understand the laments of celebrities, but he realizes that he didn't even know the half of it.

And there's the constant worry. Sure, they know that they're on the winning side of the ultimate battle of good versus evil, but there are still the details. He can't imagine having to go through the rest of the tribulation without Chloe. The idea of having to explain to Kenny why his mom isn't there is too horrible to think about. What if he forgets her? Buck can easily think up several stories about kids who lost a parent when they were young not being able to remember them.

Then Chloe walks into the room, takes one look at him, and pulls him into a hug without a single word. He pulls her close, and holds her tight, and pushes all the worries and things that he misses out of his mind. For all that he's lost; he's gained so much more.

Buck chuckles to himself, because, wow, that was a cliché that he never saw himself legitimately thinking.

"What's so funny?" Chloe asks, obviously fairly confused.

"Oh, nothing; just thinking about how much things have changed."

"No kidding. Remember that time Nicolae was named _Sexiest__Man__Alive_?"

He laughs, and the rest of the conversation is light-hearted. Sure, they don't talk about why he was so worried, but they really don't need to.


End file.
